I’m a comic book writer and artist — amongst other things.
I was a dominant force in the 80s ‘British Invasion’ for that decade, but decided to move on from comics and expand my creative horizons into pop videos, animation and Hollywood feature films. I like working in lots of different media, as it stops me getting too bored… I came back to comics when DC invited me to do the final episode of their acclaimed SOLO series.
Recently, a movie I co-wrote and designed, Mad Max Fury Road, stormed its way to a whole bunch of Oscars and ‘Best of the Year’ awards. That was very gratifying, as it took us nearly 20 years to get the darned thing made!

2) What got you into comics in the first place?

Comics are my first love and I always saw the creative possibilities of the art form, back when comics were a ‘cultural ghetto’ and very much disrespected and looked down on by the clueless.

3) Who are your biggest influences in the industry?

When I was a kid, I grew up reading the 60s classics by Lee, Kirby, Ditko, Infantino, Steranko…the titans of that era. Robert Crumb was a huge influence, in that he would put on paper whatever craziness came into his mind. I loved that freedom. The European artists who became mainstream in the 80s were great too: Moebius, Pratt, Toppi and Liberatore were the creative giants of their age. I have a soft spot for Tony Millionaire’s Sock Monkey. I can always look at Mike Mignola’s art without hurting my eyes. Frank Quitely is still a modern master. There are lots of great new people coming up all the time, especially in the indy scene, from publishers like NoBrow.

4) Your style is very psychedelic, where does that influence come from?

Well, Yellow Submarine would have to be the single biggest influence on my style these days. I still watch that amazing movie and am stunned at its endless creativity. Pop videos, like David Bowie’s ‘Ashes to Ashes’, can still be exciting. They are cut to music and operate on a different plane of storytelling. They’re jerky and jump around a lot — I like to put that energy into my comics.

5) What sparked the idea for Dream Gang?

I’ve had the idea in my head for about 30 years! I did originally pitch it to Vertigo back in the early 90s. We were going to do it, but couldn’t settle on a deal which satisfied me. It was called ‘Z-MEN’ back then. When the movie Inception came out, I was floored, as so many similar ideas were being explored and I was forced to rethink everything… I changed the storyline, the characters and the title! I was pushed into a massive rethink, which I now prefer to my original concept. It became less ‘filmic’ and more ‘comic strip’…

6) For those who may be unfamiliar with the series, what is Dream Gang about exactly?

Dream Gang is a new concept. It was first serialised in the monthly anthology series Dark Horse Presents, and pretty much came out under the radar. I did a substantial rewrite and revamped the art for this new version, which is definitive.
Dream gang is about a group of people who project themselves into dreams at night, who assume dream personas — adopting new guises as ‘dream avatars’ if you like — and wandering about in the collective unconscious. They uncover a dark conspiracy to implant a ‘Dream Bomb’ into a young man’s memory, and set off a viral meme that will stupefy the world’s sleeping population and create a nightmare planet.
The story explores the shifting world of memories and dreams — the deep-buried thoughts that can keep us trapped in the prisons of the mind.

7) Can we expect to see more of Dream Gang in the future?

I feel there are an infinite amount of stories to be told in Dream Gang. But I always look for that ‘special’ story that hits a nerve with me. After all, writing and drawing a graphic novel is a big thing to take on, and so I need to feel that the story is worth the telling and by characters worth spending my time with.

8) Anything else you’re working on?

I’m currently drawing a one-off DR FATE story for DC Comics. That’s a character that I’ve always liked, but he’s never really connected with audiences, has he? The writer, Paul Levitz, has tailored the story to my psychedelic sensibilities. Maybe it’ll lead onto something new with Dr Fate. I have had a lot of good ideas for a new ‘take’ on the character. After all, ‘Fate’ is a very interesting theme…
I’m hankering to do a new team-up comic: Judge Dredd and My Little Pony. I think the possibilities are enormous in putting those two worlds together! Reality may not survive such a radical merging of dissonant universes.
The next creator-owned story I’ll do may well be the next Dream Gang — it depends on how the graphic novel sells, ultimately. So if you want to see another Dream Gang story, rush out and tell your friends all about this singular and psychedelic comic book.

Have you seen the movie Inside Out? Morgan’s Organs is like Inside Out if it were written by Seth McFarlane. The story begins with the main character enjoying a particularly dirty dream when his brain wakes him up. The brain and the penis have to try and decide who is better for Morgan when it comes to how he interacts with the people around him.

The Good

Must say, it caught me off guard at first. I wasn’t expecting the unapologetic look at what runs through a persons head. But they do a good job of making it relatable and not too crazy, given that most people do get conflicting opinions from their bodies.

Feels like a rated R Inside Out, which is kind of fun.

The Bad

I don’t know that I will ever be able to get the “woman” in Morgan’s dream out of my mind. It is burned in there deep and I don’t love that it will remain there. It was funny, but also kind of gross.

Not sure where we will go from the end of the comic, but let’s hope poor Morgan can find a lady soon.

The Art

Morgan’s Organs has a very cutesy-style of drawings which is a high contrast to the extremely adult subject matter which is a fun contradiction. If you are going to have a main character be a penis, you may as well have it wearing a silly hat.

They make all the organs have their own style based on their use which is fun. I particularly liked the Appendix who has no purpose but it filled with useful information.

The time-traveling Doctor has returned to Earth in a new incarnation, with Jo by his side and his knowledge of his past lives intact. A strange force has begun dropping energy bursts on Earth, which can only be deflected by the Doctor’s unique tools. When the military steps in, the Doctor faces an ethical conflict as well as a surprising visit from the past.

THE GOOD:

The story is well-paced, with just the right balance of action and exposition. The relationships between the characters are easy to infer for new readers, and developed enough to satisfy long-time fans.

The characters are instantly likeable and have a familiar feel to anyone who has seen the television series. The Doctor’s precious snootiness is particularly appropriate to the Third Doctor’s television portrayal, and helps to define his role within the story.

The issue successfully sets up the story arc for the series. The main characters and their roles are clear, and the supporting characters are compelling as well. Villains abound, both overt and subtle, and the Doctor clearly has his work cut out for him.

THE BAD:

As an established property, Doctor Who: The Third Doctor may require some catching up for readers who are not familiar with the comics or the television series.

As the first issue of a new story arc and a new incarnation of the Doctor, there is a lot left to be explored. It may also be difficult for established fans to accept the changes to the story’s canon.

THE ART:

The inking and coloring in this issue were amazing, and were perfectly suited to the time period and region of the story’s setting.

The use of inset frames and angled gutters was very effective in conveying the current scenes in the story.

A few frames looked a bit false, like seeing a television screen in a poorly-edited movie.

The photo-realistic cover is astoundingly beautiful.

]]>http://comicplug.com/review-time-doctor-who-the-third-doctor/feed/04358Jared Leto: The Joker You Never Wantedhttp://comicplug.com/jared-leto-the-joker/
http://comicplug.com/jared-leto-the-joker/#respondFri, 19 Aug 2016 14:02:30 +0000http://comicplug.com/?p=4144Greetings comic fans! Before I jump into it, I want to give a little disclaimer: Suicide Squad is not a “god awful” movie. I wouldn’t say it’s a “great” movie, like some fanboys are saying. It had some fun scenes in it. It was basically The Expendables meets superheroes. So if that’s what you’re into, you’ll have a ball. With that being said, what wasn’t solid was Jared Leto’s absolutely horrible Joker. During the film I would start getting into it, then they’d break up the main story for a Joker scene, and at one point I literally groaned out loud while rolling my eyes. Nothing about this Joker was good. Some of the reasons aren’t Leto’s fault, while other reasons are. There will be a few spoilers, so if you haven’t seen the movie but plan to, you might want to hold off on reading this. Also, if you’re a fanboy, and I offend you with this- Feel free to leave your need for validation below.

First, let me tackle the elephant in the room- his appearance. When I first saw the sneak peak picture of Leto as Joker, I thought it was a joke from 4chan. I truly mean that. Why does Joker have prison tattoos of punchlines and phrases? He couldn’t have gotten them in prison as he’s always in solitary confinement, so he must have gotten them at a tattoo parlor… But, why? What is the point? They don’t do anything for the character. Unlike El Diablo where him having tattoos makes sense for the character, tattoos do absolutely nothing for Joker. In fact, the tattoos make him look ridiculous, and less menacing. Honestly, why do they exist? I can not for the life of me figure it out. Is it supposed to be “edgy”? The infamous one of the word “Damaged” on his forehead is the worst of all. This would be like Sinestro getting the word “Fear” tattooed on his forehead. It’s the type of thing that would get Joker to say: “That’s not funny.”

Do you have enough jewelry on, Flavor Flav?

Then you have the Mr. T starter kit he has on, with the countless rings, and chains (don’t even get me started on the grills). Again, it looks ridiculous and is totally out of character. Joker is not materialistic at all. We all know the great scene from The Dark Knight when Jokerlights all the money on fire. THAT is Joker. If that scene doesn’t drive the point home, how about the scene from The Mask of the Phantasm where Joker is completely disinterested in the millions of dollars the mob is offering for him to kill Batman? So yeah, money and flashy jewelry aren’t really Joker‘s thing. None of this makes any sense, and it’s baffling that these things got green-lit for the movie. But I’ll give credit where credit is due (what little credit there is to be had anyway), the actual outfits worn by him were pretty decent, and spot on. Even the silly purple trench coat is something Joker has worn. So, outfits- yes. Tattoos, and jewelry- no.

But not even the purple trench coat can make up for the writing. Like WOW, was it bad. May I ask why Joker was a jaded lover-like character this movie? His entire role revolved around his endless chase for Harely Quinn. He reminded me of Liam Neeson’s character from Taken. Since when did Joker truly give a damn about Harley Quinn? Oh that’s right, never! I would even go as far as saying that he detests her. He only keeps her around because she’s competent, and will do ANYTHING for him. Unquestioned loyalty goes a long way for Joker. Which makes her useful in the “I’m going to push you down so you get caught while I get away” sense. Or have her effectively distract Robin while he takes on Batman. There’s nothing loving, or caring about this relationship. The love is very much one-sided, and it all comes from Harley. In fact, Joker abuses her in the comics/shows while telling her constantly how much he doesn’t care about her.

So much love. This is real relationship goals, ladies and gentlemen!

The one scene that sticks out is the one where he’s sitting around the knives while his lackey explains to him that Harley was taken out of her cell. Joker is on the verge of crying when he hears this and lays down depressed. What… The… Hell… Joker, crying? Sad? Over Harley Quinn? …Who wrote this, and why? You cannot, I repeat- CANNOT take arguably the most volatile, and abusive relationship in all of fiction, then romanticize it like some pseudo Notebook/Twilight/50 Shades of Grey hybrid. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying show the Joker‘s abuse of Harley on screen, that won’t fly in 2016. But this is the equivalent of making a movie about child soldiers, and painting a pretty picture. You simply do not do that. Not only is that stupendously idiotic, but it’s borderline disgusting. Now some of you are probably saying “But Bryan, this isn’t Leto’s fault. It’s the writing/directing.” Counter argument: Leto said “Deep down Joker is a sweetheart.” The fact that he thinks that means he deserves at least some blame.

While these things aren’t fully Leto’s fault, want to know what is? His acting. This is the final “F**k you” cherry on top. All of this could have been forgiven, if his acting was even passable. Heath Ledger’s Joker was not a fully accurate representation of Joker, and a lot of comic purists weren’t a fan of his script. But he was still menacing, and his acting was fantastic. Ledger made the script work, and gave an Oscar performance. Leto on the other hand was not menacing at all. For someone who was “excited” for the role, he sure looked, and seemed bored. His laugh was so awful, it was almost as if he was doing it ironically, and out of spite. “Ha… Ha… Ha…” How you’re reading that is how he did it. Completely and utterly uninspired. The voice Leto used was a half-baked attempt to recreate Ledger’s voice. His attempt at sounding snarly ended up sounding nasally and full of lisps. He sounded more like a teenager whose braces were put on too tight than he did Joker (probably from those aforementioned grills). It’s a shame, because he could have made up for all the flaws that were out of his control. Instead, all he ended up doing was piling on. The rest of the film was pretty decent, but every aspect of Joker was one big swing and a miss.

Reminds me of a bad music video you’d see exclusively at Hot Topic.

If you liked this Joker, that’s fine, you can like whatever you want to like. But please don’t call yourself a fan of Joker, or his source material. Because this is one of biggest bastardizations of a character in film history. I thought Superman in Man of Steel was bad, but this takes the cake. It’s so far removed from what the character is supposed to be it’s baffling. Maybe the extended version will fix things a bit, but I doubt it. If you want to argue: “This is a different Joker. It’s not meant to follow the comic formula, it’s that simple. Deal with it.” That’s fine as well, you can feel that way. They should make a fat, nonathletic, and unintelligent Batman who wears all white while he skips around in broad daylight singing “You Are My Sunshine.” That way I can say: “This is a different Batman. It’s not meant to follow the comic formula, it’s that simple. Deal with it.”

Glitterbomb is the story of a woman who is stuck in the Hollywood audition cycle and is finding the redundant interview process extremely draining. She ventures out to the water and is greeted, or perhaps consumed is a better word, by an unexpected force. When she regains consciousness, something in her has changed. She finds herself unable to control something that now lives within her.

The Good

Dark and edgy compared to most Hollywood based stories but in a good way. Ittakes an almost realistic look at the situation facing actors and how aging past a certain point reduces the likelihood of getting cast.

The powers she develops are impressive and surprising. She is a unique character with a realistic storyline that you can feel the frustration in her expressions.

The Bad

Not sure about the villain, but it almost seems like our lead character is battling against the being that seems to be consuming her mind. Not necessarily a bad thing, just not explained as to who we should be worried about just yet (other than the mean movie executive, but he obviously gets his justice.)

The Art is extremely well done. The look is gritty and real, without looking boring.

The thing that comes out of her and the process of her transforming back into herself is done really well. Chronologically and slowly revealing her horror in what she has done. It really helps narrate the story and the lack of control she has over whatever it is that is happening to her.

Don’t miss out on our interview with the writer of,Jim Zub, to learn a little bit more on how the comic idea came to be and about the writer himself.

Faith is the story of a woman who, like most of us, is just trying to figure out where she belongs. After gaining powers she tried the teamwork initiative and when that didn’t work she was left on her own. How is she expected to handle her powers and her secret identity while trying to keep everyone safe?

The Good

An extremely relatable heroine. She is a comic book enthusiast who struggles with her identity. The only difference is she has a couple different identities she needs to keep track of, one of which has actual super powers.

The story provides a great introduction, showing just how tricky it can be to manage your secrets. It has a fun and lighthearted attitude, complete with her own fantasy sequences of how she wishes her life would actually go.

The Bad

Leads well into the next comic, leaving the reader wanting more. The only thing is it would be nice to know why the team fell apart but there is opportunity for that in the coming issues.

The Art

The book is expertly drawn, giving a lot of emotion in each panel. It also does a really good job at varying the styles ever so slightly when it is a fantasy sequence or dream.

Our main character herself is a gorgeous character, who you’ll feel like you will actually see her in real life. She is unique and quirky, and most importantly one of the dorkiest (in a good way) super heroes. She seems to like the idea of being a hero, even in her fantasy games and that is a good target audience for those reading comic books. Making her relatable and real, letting the reader connect with her easier.

The characters each vary quite a bit, which helps when a lot of characters are introduced early on. Also, the superhero movie star name Chris seems to remind me of someone, but maybe that is just me.

Strange Attractors is a a five part series about mathematicians. However it is a lot more captivating then it sounds. It starts with a character who seems as though his mental state is questionable, and he ends up throwing himself out of a window. We find an older man in a diner who after being approached by a graduate student reveals he has been researching the topic in question: New York City and essentially its ability to survive.

After agreeing to work together, the graduate student struggles to decide whether the old man is genius or crazy.

The Good

While it seems like a premise that would be a bit dull, Strange Attractors actually feels like a mystery novel. There is this unusual tension through the pages that keeps you reading, grasping for any hint as to what is going on.

The old professor is pretty entertaining as he seems to straddle the line between brilliance and complete lunacy.

The Bad

Feels a little bit unanswered in the first book, leaving you a bit confused. However given that it specifically states One of Five on the cover there is a little bit ore of a movie feeling where you aren’t supposed to always have a clear idea right away what is happening.

The Art

It fits the story well, looking a little bit more realistic than a lot of comics are. Detailing on the characters is really well done to accentuate the lines and wrinkles of the older man and the panic in the first character who kills himself.

In this installment I get to talk to author Pat Shand (Robyn Hood, Hellchild, Charmed Season 10) about his career, his work, and life at Zenescope Entertainment!

“My mind to [his] mind; My thoughts to [his] thoughts“

Pagemaster: To start I was hoping you could tell “us” a little bit about your history as a creator. How did you end up with Zenescope and what attracted you to them as a publisher?

Pat:Coming off of my first gig in the industry at IDW, I was looking for publishers to work with. Zenescope was one of the ten or so that I contacted, and they were really receptive to my ideas early on. I did a few smaller gigs with them and other publishers for a while, stuff like 1000 Ways to Die (based on that Spike TV show) and some one-shots here and there, and soon after they gave me a bunch of miniseries and kind of just let me do my thing.

Pagemaster: Sounds like a pretty sweet gig! Have things always been that amicable between you and Zenescope? Free reign sounds pretty awesome, but have you ever run into any roadblocks on ideas and/or creative direction you’ve tried to do or have you found that “nothing’s too crazy for Zenescope”?

Pat:You know, when you’re doing work-for-hire, essentially writing on properties that other people or companies or corporations own, you’re never going to get 100% free reign. Sometimes it’s a positive collaborative experience, where I’m with other creators in a writer’s room, and we’re working toward similar goals and following through on the best ideas. And then, sometimes I really believe in an idea that ends up getting cut. It’s part of the process. The only ever truly 100% pure “free reign” type work you’ll ever see in comics, I think, is creator-owned stuff. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Comics is like TV writing in that it thrives on collaboration, sometimes. It all depends on the project.

Pagemaster: I see what you’re saying. At least you seem to have had an overall positive experience, not everyone gets to say that about their employer lol.

In the time that you’ve been with Zenescope, how much would you say has changed from those early days? Is Zenescope still the same company and environment that it was when you first signed on? Are Grimm Fairy Tales titles still pointed in the same creative direction?

Pat:No, not at all. It’s day and night. I think that a lot of change has been affected. Look at the books on the slate right now. Grimm Fairy Tales, which was known as a sort of action-adventure cheesecake book, is now a young-adult comic, sort of a Harry Potter meets Supernatural type deal with a cast of young heroes from Neverland, Wonderland, and Oz at magic school in Pennsylvania. Robyn Hood especially is a book that would’ve never happened at Zenescope back when I first started.

There has been a push toward highlighting the story and the characters, with the creation of characters like Robyn Hood, like Liesel Van Helsing, and some of these new characters they’re doing in books outside of their normal shared universe. Creatively, too, I feel a lot more free in a way. I used to essentially receive a plot, and back then I could definitely change things and pitch new ideas, but I would primarily script from someone else’s outline. Now, I’m very much doing my own thing. I’m also co-writing a little with Ralph Tedesco on some Grimm Tales of Terror stuff, and that’s something I hadn’t really done much of before.

Pagemaster: I’m sure that liberation not only feels good, but I imagine also helps improve the quality of your work, right? A happy writer is a good writer lol.

Given that switch, what would you recommend for new readers interested in jumping into the GFT universe? Specifically, do you have any advice for those readers who want to binge as much as possible, but only in the newer styles?

Pat:Yeah! Start on Grimm Fairy Tales: Arcane Acre Volume One. That’s the first collection of my run, and that story runs from #101 – 125, and it’s completely standalone. I’m finishing up on #125 now, so it would be a good time to jump on. Robyn Hood: Riot Girls is a great place to start that series, and really any issue of Grimm Tales of Terror stands completely alone, so any of those. I’m also on a new series called Hellchild, which just started in March, so that is an easy place to jump into the series.

Pagemaster: Awesome, I might take some of that advice myself!

On a similar note, what would you say to those who know Zenescope by that “Cheesecake Action/Adventure style”, or simply judge the titles by their covers, and turn away from the GFT universe?

Pat:I would say that I understand that, for sure. There is obviously that perception about the books. I’d also say that everyone I know who gave the books a chance, especially Robyn Hood and Arcane Acre, were pretty floored by what the comics actually are. I’m not saying that to try to convince anyone or to be smug, though. It’s just that I’ve gotten into many conversations with skeptical readers, both at conventions and on Twitter, and I made it a point to reach out for them and send them free copies of the work. Just connecting with readers on a personal level and being like, “Here. Here’s what I really do as a creator.”

A lot of people also assume that all I’ve done here since starting with the company is adaptations. That Robyn Hood, for instance, is a retelling of the old ballads, and that soooo isn’t the case. That’s also why I think the actual first time someone reads my work at the publisher, they’re surprised.

The truth is that if these were just adaptations and if the stories themselves were cheesecake, I wouldn’t be writing for them. There is so much more to what we’re doing here, and I think it’s fair to say that the readership has unique bond with these characters. The love I get for writing Robyn, Marian, and Helsing in particular is huge, overwhelming. I could literally cry. Charmed, too.

Pagemaster: I know my first experiences with Robyn Hood shook off any doubts I might’ve had. I love that you reach out and show people what you’re about like that!

I can feel your pride and passion, both in talking to you and through your work, so I have to ask: With all the time and effort you’ve put into Robyn and the gang, how does it feel to hand the reigns over to Lou Iovino (and company) for the new series?

Pat:Honestly, I’m sad to go. It was the right move for me, but it was a very difficult call to make. I’ve said before that writing Robyn Hood has been therapeutic for me, that it’s been essentially my diary for the past four years. That so many people love the story is really gratifying to me, because that story is very much the embodiment of who I was for the time that I wrote it. So if I’m being truthful, passing it off is just about as strange of a feeling as you’d expect. That said, I knew that the character would continue, and I wish the new team the best.

(Robyn Hood final chapter; marriage of Marian and Sam)

Pagemaster: I believe that’s an admirable stance. Robyn may not have been “creator owned”, but I’m sure it felt that way at times. You mentioned your new title earlier, Hellchild; How does developing Angelica Blackstone compare to your experience with Robyn? Do you think she, or any character really, can replicate that “author therapy” that Robyn owned so well?

Pat:Hellchild is a really personal story too… I mean, on one level, it’s a crazy romp through New York with vampire junkies, werewolf bikers, nightclub witches, and vengeful gods. But the story I set out to tell with Hellchild is about a character who fears that she will grow up to become everything she hated about her father. Hellchild has me very raw, and writing that series is honestly very emotionally difficult, even though I think it comes off as a fun book.

Also, while the series totally stands alone, it’s had probably the most build out of any series I’ve done here. In the various titles I’ve written, Hades has been trying to resurrect his daughter for years. But then, when it finally happens in Hellchild, the way it goes down is completely devastating for him.

(Scene from Hellchild)

Pagemaster: Well that’s a “hell” of a tease! Character driven work is a personal favorite, so I know I’ll be following Hellchild for sure!

Many of Zenescopes titles are miniseries connected in the larger framework, is Hellchild another mini or do you think there’s room to grow into a full fledged-ongoing?

And on that subject, is there a particular reason why so many titles run as connecting miniseries as opposed to ongoings like “the big 2”? What are the benefits to that model?

Pat:I imagine there will be more Hellchild stories. I’m working on an outline for a second miniseries now, but I honestly have no idea when that would drop.

The truth about the ongoings is that there are very few independent titles that can sustain an ongoing in this market. Obviously some, as Grimm Fairy Tales #125 is in production right now. But miniseries just sell better.

Pagemaster: I understand, that makes sense. “If it ain’t broke” and all.

Though, sticking with ongoings, your runs on all three ongoings that you’ve been working on for sometime are or have already come to a close. I imagine there’s a great deal of satisfaction in getting to make it to the natural end of long plotted stories, which doesn’t happen often even in the “big 2”.

How would you describe that feeling closing out these series and what can you tell us about your upcoming work in their absence?

Pat:Each feels different. Robyn Hood is bittersweet, because I’m sad to go but I feel staggeringly proud of what we’ve done. It’s such an ending, and it’s the exact way it was meant to end. With Grimm Fairy Tales, that feels very similar. That was a series that ended up meaning a lot to me, and I’m incredibly excited at the way it comes together. Whereas Robyn Hood has a quiet and personal finale, Grimm Fairy Tales ends with a 60-page giant issue that feels like a summer blockbuster movie. In a good way, though. It’s grounded with real, raw, vulnerability and emotion. Charmed: Season Ten, that one is a relief because it was so heavily plotted that it has felt very much like a puzzle. Whereas Robyn Hood and Grimm Fairy Tales had a lot of room to explore, Charmed: Season Ten always had the same ending. So that one feels a lot less like a break-up and more like I’m about to cross the finish line.

(Charmed Season 10 #18)

As far as upcoming stuff, I’ve got a few things I can talk about and a few I can’t. I’m working with Joe Books on Charmed novels, the first of which should come out soon. I’m also doing some other novels and comics through them that I can’t talk about yet. My creator-owned comic with Roberta Ingranata (Robyn Hood) called Vampire Emmy and the Garbage Girl was just announced. That comes out this June from Margins Publishing. I’m doing the Equilibrium comic with American Mythology Productions, and that picks up after the cult classic movie ends.

At Zenescope, I’m launching two new series as soon as my Grimm Fairy Tales run ends. One is a Van Helsing miniseries and the other is a huge event featuring casts from all of the books I’ve written thus far. That one is sort of like a “One last time, for old times’ sake” type adventure in this shared universe with those favorite characters of mine.

To close out, I want to ask: Given your good fortune, what advice would you give new writers hoping to break into comics?

Pat:The advice I always give to writers is to create comics before you ask someone to pay you to create comics for them. Write scripts, pay artists to draw them. Or partner with an artist who is also hungry to make samples. Worst case, draw them yourself. The truth is that no editor out there will read a script sample, but almost all of them will read an actual comics sample.

Pagemaster: It’s sort of a tradition at ComicPlug to end interviews by giving creators “the podium”, so to speak, and “plug” anything they might want readers to know about themselves, their work, or anything else!

Pat:You can follow me anywhere/everywhere @PatShand

]]>http://comicplug.com/mind-meld-patrick-shand-and-zenescope-entertainment/feed/03436Frank Miller Wants Carrie Kelley On The Big Screenhttp://comicplug.com/frank-miller-wants-carrie-kelly-the-big-screen/
http://comicplug.com/frank-miller-wants-carrie-kelly-the-big-screen/#respondWed, 30 Mar 2016 04:11:24 +0000http://comicplug.com/?p=3156Comic book writer, artist and director Frank Miller has said that he’d like to see Carrie Kelley in a DC movie in a recent interview with ComicBook.com on the red carpet premiere of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

“Oh, Carrie Kelley, if they do it, I’ll be very jealous of any appearance of Carrie Kelley,” Miller said. “Carrie Kelley would be the big one. I love my little Joker robots, and lots of other characters like his goofy sidekick, but Carrie Kelley is the one that broke my heart.”

Another of Miller’s creations is Elektra, Daredevil’s common partner and lover. The character was recently brought to life in season 2 of Netflix’s Daredevil starring Charlie Cox as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, Elodie Yung as the red masked Elektra and Jon Bernthal as the unforgiving Punisher. When talking about the character’s appearance in the series 3 months prior to the season’s release, Miller boasted a slightly different opinion by saying:

“They can do whatever they want, that is not her.”

He went on in the most recent interview to differentiate his work-fore-hire characters such as Carrie Kelley and Elektra and the work that he owns such as Sin City.

“I’ve had a good long time doing work that I’ve made up out of whole cloth,” Miller said. “I own ‘Sin City,’ if there’s a ‘Sin City’ movie, I’ll make it. With Batman, I’m contributing to a mythos that’s been around for a long time. I’ve had a great time contributing to it, I will gladly contribute to it again, and I want to see what other people do. It’s a big party, we can all join in.”

For those not in the know, Carrie Kelly is the female Robin who appears in The Dark Knight Returns universe and goes on to become Catgirl in The Dark Knight Strikes Again. The character took over the mantle from Jason Todd and made her first appearance in 1986. Now, Kelly is a major part of the Dark Knight III: The Master Race by Miller, Brian Azzarello, Andy Kubert and Janson.

Interestingly, there were rumours that the character would be making an appearance in Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman but this rumour was soon quashed.

Miller is currently hard to work on the fourth addition to his Batman: The Dark Knight series.

You can catch Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in cinemas now.

]]>http://comicplug.com/frank-miller-wants-carrie-kelly-the-big-screen/feed/03156Woman Crush Wednesday – Lara Crofthttp://comicplug.com/woman-crush-wednesday-lara-croft/
http://comicplug.com/woman-crush-wednesday-lara-croft/#respondWed, 16 Mar 2016 16:00:19 +0000http://comicplug.com/?p=2978Hello and welcome to Comic Plug’s Woman Crush Wednesday (#WCW) – a weekly series that shines a light on female comics, characters, and writers. This week we’re super into THE Tomb Raider, Lara Croft. This badass Brit has been a leading lady since her first video game in the mid-90’s. Since then, the very successful character has had numerous games, two full-length movies, and now Dark Horse Comics has a new series that continues Lara’s story from where the Square Enix games (Tomb Raider & Rise of the Tomb Raider) left off.

As we enter the story Lara is falling through the floor of a cave. Flashback – she is attending the University of Minnesota’s archaeology conference and Professor Robert Demur is introduced. She leaves early for an intense combat training session. Lara is presently approached by Professor Demur’s assistant requesting a meeting with her. Lara declines, but later chooses to seek out Professor Demur (after finding his assistant dead). Professor Demur is investigating a mushroom of immortality, and could use Lara’s skills to find it. And so the adventure begins!

Though she is not the first female protagonist of a gaming series (that honor goes to Ms. PacMan) she is arguably one of the most famous, and for good reason. Lara Croft is seen by many as an empowering figure for female gamers. As an archaeologist, she is informed in other cultures and extensively knowledgeable in history, philosophy and lore. Also, she conducts much of her research on her own, which shows her self-reliance. She has the strength and cool-headed logic of a survivor; harvested from the tragic plane crash she sustained. No, grave robbing is not a commendable occupation. But what women would not want to see herself as smart, independent and strong? And sexy. Don’t forget sexy.

Lara Croft is hot. There’s no denying it. She was designed that way. She’s a smart, low-maintenance, gal who would rather go out to the shooting range than spend five seconds in a mall. Not to mention what all the adventuring does for her figure. And though you can’t help but notice her -ahem- physique it is not the center of attention. The story and art do not revolve around Lara’s body, and she is not made into a sexual object. In the comic (and many other media platforms) she wears clothes that fit her adventurous lifestyle in a practical way. She does not spelunk in stilettos. She is not fighting off sharks in a bikini. And in this new series she is not in skimpy pajamas or a revealing business suit unnecessarily.

Furthermore, Lara’s sexuality and amorous relationships are minor subplots; if they exist at all. Depending on the media you are following Lara has had several romantic relationships with men. What is so exceptional about Lara’s story is that the relationship does not become the focus of the story. The game, the movie, the comic – whatever- continues to focus on the relic Lara is trying to find or the ancient evil she is trying to stop. Lara never gathers her girlfriends to ponder aloud why he hasn’t called. In this comic Lara’s only interaction with other women is her combat training. There has been some speculation that, in this iteration of Tomb Raider, Lara may be a lesbian. Whether that is the case, or not, it will be irrelevant if the focus remains on adventuring outside of Lara’s bedroom.

Thus far Dark Horse has only one issue of Lara’s current story released. Based on the interactions of the characters so far I have high hopes that Dark Horse will continue improve upon the Croft legacy and add even more dimension to this beloved treasure hunter.

What did you think about our #WCW this week? Who or what would you like to see featured? Let me know in the comments below!